‘I just want to see these dogs taken care of’: Attack victim wants to press charges

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OKLAHOMA CITY -- Spencer Ridley's bandages sit bloodied on his legs. His wounds are still raw beneath. And his anger is still burning, hours after four dogs attacked him Friday.

"If something doesn't happen now, it could be a four-year-old running around and get its face bit off or something," Ridley told NewsChannel 4 Friday evening. "We don't need to have vicious dogs around here. I'm just glad it was me and not those little kids."

Ridley said he was walking through his neighborhood, on the 2400 block of NW 40. He was headed to a nearby gas station to buy a drink, when he saw the dogs playing in the yard.

"I didn't think anything of it and they started to run toward me and I thought they were just going to say 'hi' but they started nipping at the back of my legs and it progressively got harder and harder," he said.

As he tried to shoo the dogs away, Ridley said they clamped down on the back of his knee. He had to punch one of the dogs to get it off before he ran to a neighbor's house.

He eventually went to the hospital for his injuries.

Ridley said the dogs had a reputation in the neighborhood. He said they have bit other people and even killed cats.

"They've been terrorizing the neighborhood for the past couple months," he said. "They've just been a menace."

Now, Ridley wants to press charges to ensure the dogs are not released again. He's also interested in seeking damages for his injuries and medical bills.

Charges cannot be filed unless the owners of the dogs come forward. Currently, neither Ridley nor Oklahoma City Animal Welfare knows who owns the five dogs, now in custody.

A spokesperson for animal welfare says Ridley has signed citations against four of the five dogs. Notices have been posted on the door of the home animal control thinks they came from.

If the owners do present themselves, charges can move forward. At that point a judge will determine if the dogs are dangerous and decide what measures, if any, need to be taken to ensure safety.

If you know anything about the dogs or their owners, call Animal Welfare at (405) 297-3100